Yeah, I'd recommend a 10/22 as well. It's a heck of a lot of fun to shoot, and bricks of ammo go quickly. You can fire as quickly as you can keep the sights on target. Some people have trouble with the hi-cap mags, so it's best to find something that has a reliable history, rather than pick up whatever looks cool. Franky, I stick with the 10-round factory mags most of the time.

AR-15s are also a blast to shoot, but they can get a little pricey. If you've got the money, I'd say go for it. Finding cheap .223/5.56 is easier said than done today, though, due to the war. It's getting pretty expensive in some parts.

I'm familiar with the Mini-14, but I'm just not that excited about it. Accuracy is better in the new models, but still, it's nothing to write home about. If I were you, I'd buy something inexpensive and fun and save the rest of my money for a good AR down the road.

Now that I think about it, the M1 Carbine might be something you should look into. You can get a new Auto-Ordnance model for roughly the same price as a Mini-14/30. To be perfectly honest, it doesn't outshoot the Mini-14, but's a piece of Americana that never gets old, and it's very light and handy. Makes a great home defense carbine as well.

Last, but not least, every think of picking up an SKS or AK clone? Cheap, cheap, and so is ammo.